Happy Birthday Kiddies!

December is a busy, busy month for us.

This year our babies are turning 5 and 3. Kids just grow up so quickly (people warned us) and we can't quite believe it. Our children mean the world to us and P sums it up well "We are best friends, aren't we? You and Me and Daddy and B!"

Yesterday we celebrated with some of our nearest and dearest and I managed to make a cake each for the kids with the help of my cousin-in-law (Saskia Bakes Cakes). She helped with the Peppa Pig cake but I had to go away with all her tips for the fondant-covered Ninjago cake. I think I'll leave the professional decorating to Saskia!

In any case the kids LOVED their cakes and had a fabulous party!

Happy Silly Season everyone!!!

Miss May Blossom http://www.facebook.com/MissMayBlossom

rainy days: entertaining kids for free

We have a week or so of rainy days ahead of us. It's an idea to have a few rainy day activities that require little preparation and cost because if your family is like mine cabin fever sets in within a day or two!

Bake: We created this recipe and made these  'Coconut Rough' biscuits. Any food processor will do or you can get that elbow grease going! They don't have to be eaten all at once either. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Or you could make
* muffins; or
*lemon meringue pie;
*pikelets;
*peanut butter and carob biscuits;
* a rainbow cake;
* a pear and ginger holiday cake;
* a black magic cherry cake;
* a Persian love cake;
* a decadent strawberry and hazelnut torte;
 and, it doesn't have to be Easter to make hot cross buns;

Cook: You've got to eat and there's nothing like feeling productive on a rainy day! My kids love helping me in the kitchen. They love being given a job to do. Rainy days tend to lead in to cold, wet nights. Why don't you get in early, put the oven on low in the morning and create a good slow cooked dinner you can all share at night after it's been filling the house with gorgeous aromas throughout the day?!


Here are a few recipe ideas for the slow cooker.
* Lamb with Ottolenghi's cous cous.
* Slow cooked lamb shanks in red wine.
* This chicken tagine recipe can be slow cooked in an oven at 120ºc for 4-8 hours.
* Moussaka (requires a bit of preparation).
* Chuck a whole bunch of vegetables in an oven proof pot and your favourite herbs and spices, a bit of water and you'll have a yummy vego stew.
* Use your favourite curry ingredients to make a slow cooked curry.

Slow cooked lamb shanks in red wine

Have a tea party: Make some 'tea' (herbal is better for kids) or hot chocolates for everyone and lay a rug or towel down. Share morning or afternoon tea and snacks on the rug together.

Play dress ups: If you don't have a dedicated dress-up box kids LOVE trying on Mummy and Daddy's clothes and shoes and pretending to be Mummy 'making dinner, reading a book, brushing child's hair' or Daddy 'going to work, mowing the lawn, doing the dishes.'

Declutter: I spent a rainy morning going through all my kids' toys and books and managed to fill the bot of our car with things we can live without. I'll deliver these to an op-shop with the hope that they can be used by somebody and the op-shop can make a few extra dollars for families less fortunate, especially leading up to Christmas. 

Old games: Have you, like me, got a few puzzles and games that the kids haven't looked at in a while? These rainy days are perfect for getting out old toys and the bonus is that they should be entertained for a while.

Draw: You only need some paper or card, pencils or textas and a bit of creativity. In my experience kids love to free draw i.e. draw whatever they like, but if you've all got cabin fever a bit of directed drawing might do the trick. For example try doing still life drawings with household objects. There's no reason why you can't get the paints out and paint under a covered area too.

Make play dough: Do you have flour, water, salt and food colouring? There are dozens of play dough recipes online but I like the cooked play dough recipes. I once read that a few drops of peppermint oil gives play dough longevity. Even if this isn't true it makes it smell good!

Dance: Get some music on and have a good ol' fashioned dance. It's good exercise and I guarantee you'll all have smiles on your faces dancing around the loungeroom!

Make books: Take photos and print them out or have a child draw the illustrations in books about themselves. These books have a simple, repetitive structure which is great for pre-readers or those children who are beginning to read. These books give value to the child's world ad experiences.

Examples of books include:
* This is me. This is my Mummy and Daddy. This is my sister/brother. This is my pet. This is where I live. 
* This is me. (insert names of family members) This is my Daddy. This is my Mummy. This is my grandfather/grandmother. This is my cousin. This is my aunty. This is my family.
* I am (insert child's name). I like (example) dinosaurs. I like my blankies (or comforter). I like bush walking (insert verb here and as many pages as needed e.g. swimming, reading, running, climbing, cooking, talking, drawing, eating, camping, circus tricks.)

If in doubt play Lego (or Duplo for littlies): We don't have a mountain of Lego but you can make a lot from a little and you can pull it apart and make more things.

Share the love: Chances are that if you're getting cabin fever so are your friends. You can rotate between houses so that all the toys are pulled out in every house and muddy footprints are spread through everyone's hallways only one person has to host each day. It also means that there are 'new' toys at each house.

Read: I've written about my favourites books here if you need inspiration. Some children can sit for an hour listening to an adult reading to them. Some children like reading on their own and some seem to have little interest in sitting still to read but I've found that the more you read with children, the more they want to read! Grab a stack of picture books (from home or the local library) and have a reading hour. You can explain that everyone is having reading time (and a read the newspaper or a magazine yourself) or you can grab a book that requires an adult to read it. Today I began reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl to the kids. We've seen the original movie but there's nothing like a book!

Craft activities: You only need to type "kids craft" into Pinterest (or click here) and hundreds of ideas come up. There are so many crafty ideas that can come from everyday household objects too. What about sponge painting, making collages from old magazines, using cartons and boxes from your recycling to make a castle or a robot? The list of ideas is endless!

AND WHEN THE SUN PEEKS THROUGH THE CLOUDS....

Jump in muddy puddles: get your wet-weather gear on and make Peppa Pig proud. The kids will love this and you can warm up afterwards with a bubble bath!

Chalk drawings: As a child (or an adult) it feels as though there's nothing more rebellious than graffiti'ing the front steps. Sidwalk chalk (available from toy stores, craft shops and $2 stores) is perfect for scrawling the driveway and better still, the rain will wash it away! We have this great book,Chalk the Block with loads of chalkie ideas.

Hopscotch: Following on from chalk drawings use chalk to draw up a hopscotch design. Here are the rules for Classic Hopscotch.

Have you got other ideas for activities with kids on rainy days? I'd love to hear your suggestions!

Miss May Blossom 
http://www.facebook.com/MissMayBlossom

eveleigh farmers markets: a foodie's paradise

I'm a sucker for a fresh produce market. I love the hustle and bustle vibe, the conversations between customers and stall holders and the dedication of producers to get themselves to the markets at the crack of dawn. Most of all I love great produce and inspiration for how to prepare and eat it!

Some months ago I declared I was taking the Saturday morning off to get myself to Eveleigh Markets, a place I'd been wanting to visit for some time. My market companion was busy on the day but I wasn't deterred and went alone. What I found when I arrived was a marketplace buzzing with activity and thriving on a community atmosphere.

Unlike many market visits before, I remembered to take my wheelie crate (a legacy of my early teaching days) and a cane basket, both of which were full to the brim on departure.

I was SO pleased to see the South Coast Cheese stall from Tilba at Eveleigh. Only a few weeks before I'd visited their shopfront in Tilba Tilba on a trip to the part of the south coast we call home. I also discovered that these guys supply their milk to shops around Sydney for purchase! Win!

In my mind Eveleigh Markets s synonymous with the chef Kylie Kwong. And she was there, with her crew, steaming up a dumpling storm. I'd only just eaten breakfast and couldn't even find a tiny excuse in my belly to try one of her dishes. You can't have everything at once! That would be gluttony!

After a couple of hours (and a good coffee), many conversations and more purchases, I emerged from the old train shed with my haul, raring to cook! After a conversation with The Talking Cookbook (aka Barbara Sweeny) and food scholar John Newton I was in no doubt that I'd boil the artichokes and serve them with a homemade aioli and a glass of good wine. The rest I'd just have to wait and see what came to mind. On the way out I ran in to the local member Tania Plibersek who was chatting to people about the upcoming federal election. We got chatting but mostly about how to eat artichoke. She is every bit as charming, unpretentious and clever as she comes across through the media.

I can hardly believe how disappointed we were with the artichoke (after all that!). It wasn't the youngest specimen so I might try again with another, more succulent one another time. Lunch, however, was a hit. I made a puff pastry pie crust then cut slices of pumpkin with a mandolin. Blind baked the base then added fetta, pumpkin, kale and an eggy/milky mixture. This was simple and delicious!

I'll visit the markets again sometime on another self-declared day off! I'd better leave room for Kylie's dumplings!

Miss May Blossom
http://www.facebook.com/MissMayBlossom

lamb slow cooker and Ottolenghi's cous cous

Tonight we had a simple and delicious meal. It was simple in that is was dead easy to prepare. (The photos are particularly bad. I was too focused on eating it!)

Preheat the oven 120ºc. In an ovenproof pot place:

3 large organic carrots, diced
400g lamb back strap, diced

10 fresh roma tomatoes, diced

400g tinned chickpeas

Handful parsley 

150ml water

1 cinnamon stick, 

1 tspn ground coriander

1 tspn ground cumin

Pepper and salt, to taste

Cook for at least 5 hours. 

I served the lamb with the recipe for Ottolenghi's cous cous but I added these to the cous cous:

a handful mint

a handful parsley

a handful each of almonds (broken with a mortar and pestle)

a small handful sultanas

and a sprinkling of pine nuts.

za'atar

Until a few months ago I hadn't heard of za'atar. Like when you buy a new car and you suddenly see 'them' everywhere I have been spotting it in recipes and restaurants.

Za'atar isn't dissimilar to dukkah. It's a blend of spices and herbs and sesame seeds.

A friend took me to the most incredible supermarket - and by supermarket I do not mean like the big two supermarkets. This compared to no other I've seen - in Northcote, Melbourne. Terra Madre stocks the most extensive range I've seen of quality and organic products - at prices that are, in some cases, less than the big two. I was in heaven!

I wanted to grab a couple of things- cacao beans and sumac. Sumac is a vital ingredient for za'atar and it's a very easy recipe - and good for entertaining.

Za'atar

ingredients

1/4 cup sesame seeds
20g cumin seeds

10g thyme, dried
10g oregano, dried
20g sumac

method

Dry roast the sesame seeds in a medium-hot frying pan for a few minutes until the sesame just start to change in colour. Place in the TM with the remaining ingredients. Process until all ingredients (except the sesame seeds) are consistent in size (about 10 secs/speed 10).

Za'atar is best served with fresh Italian bread and good quality extra virgin olive oil and in perfect for entertaining. Store in a dry airtight container.

my own enchanted broccoli forest

basic soil mix + chook poo + straw + guinea pig poo

These flowers are almost ready to eat...

Two weeks on...

I'm pretty pleased with my broccoli harvest this morning! There's a good three meals here. These were grown from seedlings and now we can use the space in the garden for something else!

We ate these florets in three meals:

* accompanying a beautiful baked barramundi (Jamie Oliver rock salt style) and a huge salad. We shared this meal with 'climate refugees' who escaped Sydney's Blue Mountains during a week of property and life threatening bush fires. Fortunately their home was spared and they were able to return home a couple of days later. We spent a lovely evening eating and drinking and distracting them from the fires which was the upside!

* in a true (lazy) meat and three veg style with mashed potato, organic sausages. Oh - make that meat and two veg. Not an ideal meal.

* steamed on top of a huge tuna salad mountain!

Réunion Island: Cilaos

Cilaos is a quaint town perched high (1220 metres above sea level) in the volcanic mountains of Réunion Island. It's worth the drive (if you can manage to avoid being hit by oncoming cars which 'pass' you on a {sometimes single} lane that winds along the edges of the mountainside.) There's rumoured to be four hundred (mostly hair pin) bends in the road. We gave up counting. It was more important to watch the road. At one point we managed to overtake a slow driver only to be faced with oncoming car, in our lane, heading straight towards us. We were a whisker away from an accident. There are many youtube videos which provide an accurate account of the trip.

Our Fiat barely had the grunt to get up some parts of the road but she didn't let us down!

Cilaos is truly beautiful and unlike any town along the coastline. Market gardens and vineyards grow along the mountainside. Tourism is big and the day we went up the mountain there were many tourist buses traveling along the same, single lane, route we took.

 Dodo Beir - the (seemed to be) favoured choice of locals. 

We preferred Phoenix Beer which was all of €1 in the local supermarket. Yes, they sell alcohol in the supermarket.

 I was geared up for the food on Réunion having read that it is Creole and a combination of the African, Indian, Chinese and French influences. We didn't see a vegetable or salad for the first five days and I was desperate to get some leafy greens in my mouth. One night I had the equivalent of a king-prawn cocktail and I was so pleased to see and eat greenery. This surprised me given the fresh vegetables we saw at the markets and that the local economy relies on tourism, defence and produce.

In Cilaos I ate my favourite dish of the trip. It was a lentil curry but I was just craving this type of food after experiencing some ordinary dinners for example, poo sausage - the innards of a pig stuffed into a pig intestine. I didn't even go near this thing but I did have to have it removed from the table when we could no longer bear the smell. I kid you not!

Despite the lack of dinner options Reunion, as you would expect, does pastries very well! The island is a French colony and the preferred language is French there are many patisseries scattered through the towns. The pastries were to-die-for (you would if you ate them all, all of the time) and very reasonably priced.

Nothing like a spot of wine tasting in the hills. And a few for gifts and our cellar for when we return! Rose (about €12) is the popular variety in these mountains and it was dry almost like a white so it will be interesting to sample again, at home, come summer.

One of two single lane tunnels that you pass through to get to and fro Cilaos. 

You must sound your horn before entering and swing a hard right hand turn as you exit - to avoid falling down the cliff!

Towns perched on the edge of the mountain range.

salmon, salad & salsa verde

J brought home a pile of fresh salmon from a work trip to Tassie recently and we ate some fresh then froze the rest. The fillets were thawed tonight and it topped 32°c in Sydney today with strong (hot) westerly winds so a light salad was the perfect dinner. This is kid-friendly too.

Salmon 

Marinate the salmon fillets with 1 glove grated garlic and 1/2 knob of ginger (also grated), dash Tamari (or other good quality soy sauce), slightest splash of sesame oil, half a lime, parsley and coriander, anda sprinkle   of salt. Wrap the fish in the foil and cook in a moderate oven for about 20 mins until fish has just turned opaque. 

While the fish is cooking prepare the salad and salsa verde. 

Salsa Verde

In a food processor chop 1 clove garlic and 1/2 knob ginger. Add a generous handful of parsley and mint and third of a dried long red chilli. Add the juice of a lime, a good lug of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. Process until a chunky paste is formed. 

Salad

In a bowl combine a bag of spinach leaves, a handful of blanched beans (halved), half a punnet of cherry tomatoes (halved), a diced Lebanese cucumber, a handful of finely chopped parsley and mint and a cup of cooked frozen peas. You can also include two finely chopped spring onions.

Salad Dressing

Combine the juice of a lime, a splash of sesame oil, a dash of Tamari and a lug of olive oil. Dress the salad just before serving. 

To serve: 

The fish is best served warm combined with the salad. Be sure to sprinkle the salad with black sesame seeds. This summery salad also goes well with a beer!

my macarons: vanilla bean with chocolate ganache

weekly meal plan: need dinner inpiration?

Do you need some dinner inspiration? It's getting warm here in Sydney and this is my meal plan for the week. This could be applied to lunches too. Some of the ingredients can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the fridge for when you need it, to save time!

Do you use a similar concept for your meal plan?

Réunion Island, September 2013

September 2013 

"I'm writing to you from my recently-cleaned hotel room on Réunion Island* Outside my room there is the buzz of activity (albeit slow) of hotel guests in the pool, birds flitting through palm fronds, the chinking of cutlery in the alfresco dining room and the wheels of the cleaner's trolley rolling around the edges of the pool.

Only now do I feel relaxed. I have wept for the children many times. I know they would enjoy it here but the enduring jet lag and logistics would be less than 'romantic' in reality. 

The kids are two days travel away with their Ma and by all accounts they are having a ball. They are being well looked after and I no longer feel like being here is irresponsible. 

Leaving the children at 4:15am on Friday was like playing a cruel joke on them. They were both securely tucked up under the covers in our bed, snuggled together, and we wrapped them in our doona before dressing and heading to the awaiting cab. I wept so hard as we drove away. It felt desperately cruel, going against all instincts and in the moments it took us to get to Spit Bridge I could have easily 'pulled the plug. on the whole trip.' 

You can see how difficult it was to leave the kids for my trip away but within a few days I was settled in to my routine without them and because I have kids I appreciated this holiday far more than I did before we had them!

Réunion Island is basically a volcano which juts out of the ocean not far from Mauritius, off the coast of Madagascar. Coral reefs line the beach and the water is aqua. Visibility was very good (20-30m). 

Thanks to my dive instructor, Jean, for these photographs.

A hundred or so metres from the shoreline the reef drops away deep in to the ocean (like Hawaii, I'm told) which is the home to dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, beautiful tropical fish, nudibranchs, octopi and sea slugs. I've been SCUBA diving and seen these creatures in their home among the reef. Behind the beach, the mountain is laced with cloud for the most of the day. 

 a sting ray which spanned about 2 metres

a trumpet fish

 three of lion fish

a moray eel (not the prettiest of creatures)

The exposed (east) side of the island bears the brunt of the wild weather- storms, rain and winds but by the time the clouds get to the west side they've dropped their rain.However, we had friends who left for a four day trek on the day we flew out of  Réunion. The weather had turned dramatically and the west coast was in for a few days of large seas and high winds. 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

My Year 5 students were eager to hear about my diving when we returned after the school holidays. I had to tell them about the moments when I thought I'd never dive again. For the first four dives I was as comfortable as any beginner diver but on my fifth dive I just couldn't clear my mask and as water filled around my nose I decided I wouldn't have my second dive of the day (my last of the trip). On all my previous dives I'd enjoyed looking at all the sea creatures and even gained enough confidence to swim in caves and swim-throughs. I wasn't feeling very comfortable and I felt vulnerable and irresponsible too. 

You can't discuss the thoughts in your head underwater but fortunately I had an understanding dive instructor and my husband reassuringly by my side. I wanted to cry with disappointment (but I didn't want my mask to fill up with tears as well!)

Diving is an incredible sport- like no other and with its risks. The equipment is heavy and cumbersome. Every person I have spoken too (some of these guys have been diving for thirty, and more, years) have had moments like I did during their dives. Everything - your equipment, visibility, the current, your mind has to be perfect otherwise it's easy to lose confidence.

Luckily, I was able to continue with the dive, though cautiously, and finish with a few more practises of clearing my mask. This gave me the confidence to complete my final dive for the trip with enthusiasm. I'm so pleased I did. Diving opens up a whole other world and one you just can't experience on the surface. I am completely hooked! 

This was an important story to share with my Year 5 students. Adults feel scared sometimes and sometimes we want to give up. Reassurance is important, especially when you're new at something. Perseverance is the only way to achieve difficult things but knowing your limits and sometimes admitting things are too hard, is okay too. 

* Why doesn't the magic house cleaning fairy respond when I put a "Please make up my house" door hanger on my front door each morning?

memo to my kids: I'd like a day like this every day please

There are few days that I can recount when, at the end of the day, I can say it was a perfect day.

By perfect I mean that the kids argued only a few times, with no hitting.

By perfect I mean we got the balance just right. We had a couple of hours at home in the morning, went in to town for about an hour, and came home for lunch.

By perfect I mean that we had the perfect balance of screen time (about an hour of ABC 4 Kids in the hottest part of the day), outside time - weeding the garden, riding bikes and scooters in the street, trampolining, cuddling the guinea pigs and patting the chooks. I watched the kids help each other too.

By perfect I mean that when the kids were stuck inside during the hottest part of the day they entertained themselves. B took apart his Lego for the fourth time (since he got it yesterday afternoon) while, beside him, in their bedroom P put all her babies to sleep. And there were no complaints that the Lego building was too noisy for the babies.

The kids ate their lunch. No fuss. In the afternoon we chopped up a yummy fruit salad and ate it on our front step in the dwindling afternoon sun. I pretended to be cross as they sneaked extra pieces of watermelon. They laughed. We all laughed.

The kids ate dinner too. With little fuss. A leafy, tuna and lentil salad with char-grilled capsicum and artichoke, parsley, fresh coriander (which I detested as a kid).

By perfect I mean that I don't remember having to ask more than once for the kids to do something.

By perfect I mean that when P hurt herself twice today her brother ran to her aid. He gave a "ooooooh" noise and called for help as he reassured her and brought her his toys to distract her. She didn't care less about his toys but that's not the point.

In the bath the kids had their hair washed and B blurted out his favourite 'washing hair' song "to see what condition my condition(er) was in!" We laughed.

I can tell you these days are few and far between but I'm just going to relish in this one for a little longer. And tell the kids how much I enjoyed their company.


Do you remember the last time you had a perfect day?

Réunion Island, September 2013

September 22(?) 2013

"I'm sitting here on a banana lounge (not recommended) peering out over the great Indian Ocean. Somewhere, out there, is Madagascar and further still is the East Coast of Africa. It's surreal. The water is green. The beach, the sand is coral. Just to walk to the ocean's edge requires constant vigilance. To stub one's toe on coral is painful.

This morning J and and walked to the village (Saint Gilles Les Bains) markets. Fresh fruit and vegetables, baguettes Indian food - all fresh and beautiful. It now feels as though we are on holidays. Only now am I relaxed."

This is an excerpt from my diary from a few weeks ago. Only now am I able to consider sitting down to write again. Everything feels like a chore after a wonderfully relaxing holiday (for me) on Réunion Island.

My husband was attending a tri-continental conference for work. I was able to attend some of the conference. Mostly, though, my days consisted of laying on the beach reading, walking along the beach and riding a bicycle around the island and chatting with the other attendees' partners. In the evenings the delegates would join us for sunset drinks on the beach and dinner or a conference function.

It was an incredibly timely break. I had become quite overwhelmed with the job of stay-at-home Mum and we were lucky to have my mother mind the kids at our place while we were away. It wasn't until we returned home that I 'remembered' what a full-on job raising kids is. When we were away we just had each other to worry about, two adults. No spare changes of clothes. No snack packs. No night wake-ups. Riding bikes with no baby seats. SCUBA diving. And no whinging.

By day ten, though, we did miss our munchkins and so we were eager to get home to them. Meanwhile, they'd had a brilliant time at home in Sydney - a visit to the NSW Art Gallery, tennis with their Aunties, a kids' party, a preschool play date, the beach, the aquarium, parks, visits from cousins, swimming lessons, ice-creams!!! The kids were well looked after and Mum had a great (but exhausting) time!

I'll share more of our Réunion Island experience in coming posts.